HELLO EVERYONE!!
My grandfather's name was, and my grandson's name is, John Pennington McGowan. So is mine. I set out to prepare myself to learn to fly an airplane. My father tried, but he crashed in 1920 off the Santa Barbara coast into the ocean when I was 7 months old.
By the 8th grade and without funds, I figured it had to be the military. I did ROTC at Santa Barbara Sr High School and California National Guard. I went to Allen Hancock College of Aeronautics in Santa Maria where I obtained my first solo license, 59079, from the Civil Aeronautics Authority.
I quit college so I could enlist in the Army. I was assigned to the Air Corps, 4th Weather Sqaudron. Luckily I made Flying Cadet before WWII started. I was commissioned a Second Lieutenant after gradusting from class 42e. My goal of becoming a pilot was achieved! I went to Great Ashfield in England as skipper of a B17 bomber crew. 11 November 1943, I had to bail out over Holland and was captured and remained a prisoner of war in Germany for the next 18 months.
After the war, I went to school at Chanute Field to learn to be a weather forecaster. The school was affiliated with University of Illinois. In 1953 while being stationed in Japan, I was skipper of flying C119's. I retired in 1958 as a Lieutenant Col.
After retirement, I taught Earth Science, Algebra, and Mathematics 16 years in the Sweetwater Union High School District. I retired again in 1976.
From that time to this day I survived by 'playing' stamps. Now, it is my time to offer you some short cuts to the specialization of Booklet Panes.